1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a slide member, and more particularly, to a slide member including a surface layer having a slide surface for a mating member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are conventionally known slide bearings as a slide member of such type, which are applied to engine parts, e.g., a cam shaft including a surface layer comprised of a metal plated layer provided around an outer peripheral surface of a journal portion of a base member for the purpose of improving the seizure and wear resistances, and a journal portion of a crankshaft, an enlarged end of a connecting rod, or the like, having a similar surface layer.
Under existing circumstances where there is a tendency of increasing speed and output of an engine, prior art slide bearings suffer from a problem that they exhibit an insufficient oil retention property and poor seizure and wear resistances at the surface layer thereof due to an inferior initial conformability. Also in the aspect of adhesion of the surface layer to the base member, there is room for improvement.